Volleyball to Wrap Up MVC Regular Season at Drake

Saturday, November 18

Des Moines, Iowa

5 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

Drake

Volleyball to Wrap Up MVC Regular Season at Drake

11/15/2017 2:33:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

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This Week's Action
Sat., Nov. 18 -- Des Moines, Iowa (Knapp Center)
UNI at Drake, 5 p.m. | ESPN3 | AUDIO | STATS

• The University of Northern Iowa volleyball team (24-7, 14-3 MVC) will close out the regular season with a single match on Saturday at 5 p.m. in Des Moines, Iowa, against the Drake Bulldogs (23-8, 12-5 MVC).

• UNI is ranked No. 1 in the nation in kills/set (15.21).

• The Panthers rank No. 2 in the nation in team assists (1,613), team kills (1,734) and digs per set (19.46).

• UNI ranks No. 3 in the nation in team digs (2,218) and assists per set (14.15).

• The Panthers are ranked No. 50 in the latest NCAA RPI.

• UNI is one of 19 teams to have recorded at least three wins against NCAA RPI top 25 teams.

• Among those 19 teams, only 11 have a winning record vs. top 25 opponents. UNI is 3-2 vs. the RPI top 25, with victories over No. 6 Nebraska, No. 9 USC and No. 15 Iowa State.

• UNI is 1 of 31 teams to have played at least 10 matches against RPI top-100 opponents and have a winning record (6-5).

• UNI's top-100 wins have come against No. 5 Nebraska, No. 9 USC, No. 15 Iowa State, No. 35 Missouri, No. 59 Austin Peay and No. 96 Illinois State.

• The Panthers have secured the No. 2 seed for the 2017 MVC Tournament. As a result, the Panthers will receive a bye into the semifinals marking the 33rd straight appearance in the conference tournament semifinals.

UNI TO COMPLETE MVC REGULAR SEASON SATURDAY AT DRAKE
The University of Northern Iowa volleyball team (24-7, 14-3 MVC) will close out the regular season with a single match on Saturday at 5 p.m. in Des Moines, Iowa, against the Drake Bulldogs (23-8, 12-5 MVC).

RADIO COVERAGE
Live radio coverage of the UNI Panther volleyball team can be found on www.UNIPanthers.com and KXEL (1540-AM). All audio will be free of charge.
   Chris Kleinhans-Schulz is in his sixth season as the play-by-play voice of Panther volleyball. Chris Mahi will serve as the analyst for home matches.

Live Audio Coverage Schedule
Sat., at Drake - UNIPanthers.com

THE VALLEY ON ESPN3
Saturday's match will be streamed live on The Valley on ESPN3.

SERIES NOTES
UNI holds a 79-12-2 all-time record against Drake.
   UNI has won 41 consecutive matches against the Drake Bulldogs. The Bulldogs's last win in the series came Nov. 23, 1996.
   UNI head coach Bobbi Petersen owns a perfect mark of 34-0 vs. Drake.
   UNI scored a 3-0 win over Drake in the McLeod Center on Oct. 17. The Panthers have won 10 straight sets against the Bulldogs dating back to Nov. 15, 2015.

HEAD COACH BOBBI PETERSEN
Head coach Bobbi Petersen is in her 18th year as the Panthers head coach.
   Petersen has posted an impressive 458-139 record at the helm of UNI's program, with seven Missouri Valley Conference regular season titles, eight MVC tournament crowns and two NCAA Sweet 16 appearances to her credit. UNI has taken part in 12 NCAA Tournaments under Petersen's direction. She ranks No. 10 of active Division I coaches in winning percentage (.768).
   Petersen is one of four MVC coaches to have eclipsed the 400-win mark joining Linda Dollar (758 - Missouri State), Iradge Ahrabi-Fard (503 - UNI) and Melissa Stokes (486 - Missouri State) in that elite class.

AMONG THE NATION'S BEST
UNI is ranked No. 1 in the nation in kills per set (15.21).
   The Panthers rank No. 2 in the nation in team assists (1,613), team kills (1,734) and digs per set (19.46).
   UNI ranks No. 3 in the nation in team digs (2,218) and assists per set (14.15).

33 STRAIGHT MVC SEMIFINALS
UNI secured the No. 2 seed for the 2017 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament with a 3-0 win over Southern Illinois on Sunday.
   By earning the No. 2 seed, UNI is guaranteed spot in the semifinals with a bye. As a result, this marks the 33rd straight Gateway/MVC Tournament semifinal appearance for the Panthers.
   UNI's streak of playing each year in the conference tournament semifinals began in 1985.
   The 2017 MVC Tournament will take place Nov. 23-25 in Normal, Illinois.

GOOD WEEK FOR KARLIE
Sophomore Karlie Taylor averaged a team-best 4.33 kills/set and 5.83 digs/set in helping UNI to a weekend split of two road matches.
   Taylor tied a career-high with 22 digs in a three-set match at Missouri State. Taylor added 12 kills, three assists, two service aces and a solo block against the Bears.
   Taylor came back on Sunday against Southern Illinois and posted the highest single-match hitting percentage (.483) with 14 kills and no attack errors in 29 attempts.
   She also recorded her team-leading 21st double-double of the season. Taylor had 14 kills and 13 digs in the 3-0 sweep of the Salukis in Davies Gym.

BUSSWITZ STEPS UP
Redshirt freshman Kate Busswitz was called into action Saturday at Missouri State and posted a career-high five kills and five blocks.
   Prior to Saturday's action, Busswitz had played in three sets and had recorded one kill and one block.

DIGGING AT MISSOURI STATE
UNI tied for the fourth-most digs (79) in a school history in a three-set match on Saturday at Missouri State.
   UNI's school record for digs (88) in a three-set match came on Nov. 29, 1995, vs. Colorado in an NCAA Tournament match in Palo Alto, California.

UNI Record - Digs (3-Set Match)
1.   88 vs. Colorado (11/29/95)
2.   83   vs. Illinois State (11/16/90)
3.   81 vs. Southern Illinois (10/4/08)
4.   79   at Bradley (10/6/00)
   79 vs. Evansville (9/17/11)
   79 at Missouri State (10/11/17)

YET ANOTHER 20-WIN SEASON
UNI has recorded the program's 35th 20-win season. UNI has won 20 or more matches in 19 of the last 20 seasons.
   It is the 16th 20-win season for Panther head coach Bobbi Petersen.

THREE MVC TEAMS IN RPI TOP 100
The Missouri Valley Conference is represented by three teams in the NCAA's RPI top 100 with Missouri State (No. 41), UNI (No. 50) and Illinois State (No. 96).
   UNI has six top-100 RPI wins this season (No. 6 Nebraska, No. 9 USC, No. 15 Iowa State, No. 35 Missouri, No. 59 Austin Peay, No. 96 Illinois State).

UNI AGAINST RPI TOP 25
UNI is one of 19 teams to have recorded at least three wins against the NCAA RPI top 25 teams.
   Among those 19 teams, only 11 have a winning record against the NCAA RPI top 25 - including UNI with a 3-2 mark.
   UNI's RPI top 25 wins have come against No. 6 Nebraska (3-1), No. 9 USC (3-1) and No. 14 Iowa State (3-2).

3 or More Wins vs NCAA RPI Top 25
1.   Penn State   7-1
2.   Florida   3-1
3.   Kentucky   4-3
4.   Minnesota   5-3
5.   Texas   6-2
6.   Nebraska   9-3
7.   Stanford   6-3
8.   Washington   8-5
9.   Creighton   3-4
9.   USC   6-4
11. Michigan State   3-4
12. Kansas   4-4
14. Utah   5-7
15. Iowa State   3-5
17. Baylor   4-2
21. Colorado   4-7
22. Oregon   5-7
24. UCLA   4-8
50. UNI   3-2

STREAKS OF NOTE
The Panthers have guaranteed the program will have a .500 or better record for the 37th consecutive season.
   UNI, Hawaii, Nebraska, Stanford, Penn State and UCLA lead the nation with 37 consecutive non-losing seasons in NCAA Division I volleyball.
   UNI has also posted 33 straight NCAA Division I winning seasons – the sixth-longest active streak in the nation behind Hawaii (37), Nebraska (37), Penn State (37), Stanford (37) and UCLA (35).

TOP HITTER IN THE VALLEY
Junior Piper Thomas leads the Missouri Valley Conference in hitting percentage (.412) in league matches only. Thomas has 251 kills (44 errors) in 502 attack attempts.
   Illinois State's Jaelyn Keene ranks second in the league with a .347 hitting percentage (265-56-602).

HOOK HEADS THE LIST
Senior setter Heather Hook leads the MVC in assists/set by a wide margin - 0.87 assists/set.
   Hook has an even wider lead when considering only Missouri Valley Conference matches - 1.03 assists/set.
   Hook is averaging 11.70 assists/set (12.34 in MVC play), while Illinois State's Stef Jankiewicz ranks second in the league at 10.83 assists/set (11.31 in MVC play).

WHO DO YOU STOP?
UNI's offense features three of the top-10 kill leaders in the Missouri Valley Conference.
   Junior Piper Thomas ranks No. 4 in the league in kills per set (3.94). Sophomore Karlie Taylor ranks No. 5 in the MVC in kills per set (3.83). Junior Bri Weber ranks No. 8 in the conference in kills per set (3.30).
   The trio also ranks in the top-10 in points per set. Thomas is No. 4 (4.53), Taylor is No. 5 (4.28) and Bri Weber is No. 6 (3.77) in points per set.

KARLIE, BRI MOVING UP
SINGLE-SEASON ATTACK CHART
Karlie Taylor and Bri Weber are moving up on the UNI single-season attacks chart.
   Taylor has 1,188 attacks, which ranks No. 8 on UNI's single-season list.
   Weber has totaled 1,167 attacks, which puts her at No. 9 on the chart. Weber holds the single-season record with 1,303 attack attempts.

UNI's Single-Season Attack Attempts Chart
1.   Bri Weber (2015)       1,303
2.   Laura Rowen (2006)       1,274
3.   Molly O'Brien (2002)       1,233
4.   Kerri Eich (1997)       1,224
5.   Kate Galer (1996)       1,201
6.    Kim Kester (2002)       1,199
7.   Bobbi Becker (1989)       1,195
8.    Karlie Taylor (2017)       1,188
9.   Bri Weber (2017)       1,167
10.   Amie Held (2016)       1,165

HOOK NEEDS 7 MORE ASSISTS TO JOIN SINGLE-SEASON LIST
UNI senior setter Heather Hook needs seven more assists to reach the top-10 single-season assist chart in Panther history.
   Hook notched 1,341 assists last season to rank as the 10th-best season in school history.

UNI's Single-Season Assist Chart
1.   Jill Arganbright (2002)   1,689
2.   Jill Arganbright (2003)   1,613
3.   Kristin Belzung (2006)       1,514
4.   Erin Hirsch (2004)       1,472
5.   Kristin Belzung (2007)       1,440
6.   Molly Turk (2012)       1,439
7.   Heather Hook (2015)       1,417
8.   Jill Arganbright (2001)   1,415
9.   Jill Arganbright (2000)   1,347
10.   Heather Hook (2016)       1,341

SORGE RANKS 9TH ON
SINGLE-SEASON DIGS LIST
UNI junior libero setter Kendyl Sorge ranks ninth on the Panthers's single-season digs chart with 533 digs entering this Saturday's match at Drake.
   Sorge posted 621 digs last season, which ranks No. 6 on the UNI list.

UNI's Single-Season Digs Chart
1.   Ellie Blankenship (2009)   698
2.   Ellie Blankenship (2008)   676
3.   Ellie Blankenship (2010)   658
4.   Candice Burke (2012)       625
5.   Ellie Blankenship (2007)   624
6.   Kendyl Sorge (2016)       621
7.   Candice Burke (2011)       585
8.   Amie Held (2015)       577
9.   Kendyl Sorge (2017)       533
10.   Amie Held (2014)       524

FAN FAVORITES
The Panthers consistently have ranked among the national leaders in attendance, and this season is no different with UNI ranked No. 14 in average home attendance at 2,438 per match.
   UNI has ranked in the top 20 in home attandance in 16 of the last 18 seasons, including a stretch of eight straight seasons in the top 20.

WEBER FINDS A SPOT IN UNI'S DOUBLE-GRAND CLUB
Junior Bri Weber became the 11th UNI Panther to post a pair of 1,000 career totals (digs, kills or assists).
   Weber is one of eight Panthers to post 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs in their careers.
   Weber has totaled 1,292 digs and 1,115 kills.

UNI's 1,000/1,000 Club
Jill Arganbright   1,025 digs/6,064 assists
Alexandra Auker   1,303 digs/1,360 kills
Bobbi Becker   1,457 digs/1,611 kills
Mary Bernhardt   1,202 digs/3,977 assists
Amy Braun   1,672 digs/1,202 kills
Kate Galer   1,368 digs/1,720 kills
Kim Kester   1,013 digs/1,439 kills
Kim McCaffrey   1,015 digs/1,272 kills
Bre Payton   1,222 digs/4,752 assists
Laura Rowen   1,145 digs/1,386 kills
Bri Weber   1,292 digs/1,115 kills

SORGE MOVES TO NO. 5, WEBER TO NO. 10 ON UNI'S TOP-10 ALL-TIME DIGS LIST
Junior libero Kendyl Sorge has moved into the No. 5 slot on UNI's all-time digs list with 1,639 digs. Sorge ranks No. 29 on the NCAA's active career digs list.
   Junior Bri Weber has 1,292 career digs to rank No. 10 on UNI's all-time digs list.

UNI's All-Time Digs Chart
1.   Ellie Blankenship (2007-2010)   2,656
2.   Amie Held (2013-2016)   2,002
3.   Candice Burke (2008-2012)   1,737
4.   Amy Braun (2009-2012)   1,672
5.   Kendyl Sorge (2015-pres.)   1,639
6.   Stephanie May (2003-2006)   1,570
7.   Bobbi Becker (1986-1989)   1,457
8.   Kate Galer (1993-1996)   1,368
9.   Alexandra Auker (1997-2000)   1,303
10.   Bri Weber (2015-pres.)   1,292
11.   Bre Payton (2007-2011)   1,222
12.   Mary Bernhardt (1984-1987)   1,202
13.   Miranda Weber (1999-2002)   1,148
14.   Laura Rowen (2004-2007)   1,145
15.   Jill Arganbright (2000-2003)   1,025

HOOK CLIMBS ASSIST LADDER
UNI senior setter Heather Hook ranks No. 6 on the school's all-time assist chart.
   Hook is the sixth UNI Panther to accumulate at least 4,000 assists in her career. Hook has posted 4,092 career assists.
   Hook ranks No. 20 on the NCAA's active career leaders list in assists.

UNI's All-Time Assist Chart
1.   Jill Arganbright (2000-2003)   6,064
2.   Shannon Perry (1996-1999)   4,881
3.   Bre Payton (2008-2011)   4,752
4.   Kara Galer (1992-1995)   4,265
5.   Kristin Belzung (2003-2007)   4,256
6.   Heather Hook (2014-pres.)   4,092
7.   Mary Bernhardt (1984-1987)   3,977
8.   Bobbie Kreple (1987-1990)   2,780
9.   Kinsey Caldwell (2013-2014)   2,549
10.   Katie Crowley (1988-1991)   1,895

THOMAS JOINS UNI'S TOP-10 SOLO BLOCKS LIST
Junior middle hitter Piper Thomas has joined the top-10 list of solo blockers in UNI volleyball history.
   Thomas ranks No. 8 on UNI's solo block list with 69 career solos.

UNI's All-Time Solo Blocks Chart
1.   Denis Cuttell (1987-1990)   90
2.   Holly VanHofwegen (1996-1999)   86
3.   Kari Warren (1983-1986)   83
4.   Lisa Meeker (1986-1986)   74
5.   Carrie Shurr (1991-1994)   73
6.   Jill Sprague (1985-1988)   71
   Danielle Brazda (2003-20070   71
8.   Piper Thomas (2015-pres.)   69
9.   Tricia Mills (1990-1993)   65
10.   Krista DeGeest (2008-2012)   64

DOUBLE-DOUBLE TALK
Karlie Taylor leads the Panthers in double-doubles this season with 21.
   Bri Weber ranks second on the team in double-doubles with 15, while Heather Hook has posted 10 double-doubles this year.
   Weber has recorded 49 career double-doubles. Hook has tallied 34 career double doubles.

Career Double-Doubles
Bri Weber - 49
Heather Hook - 34
Karlie Taylor - 21

UNI KNOCKED OFF FIVE RANKED TEAMS IN 2002
UNI is 4-2 against ranked foes in 2017 with wins over No. 10 Nebraska, No. 18 USC, No. 19 Iowa State and No. 19 Missouri.
   With its next win against a ranked opponent, it would equal the school record for victories over ranked teams in a single season.
   UNI defeated five ranked opponents in 2002 (No. 8 Pepperdine, No. 7 UCLA, No. 20 Minnesota, No. 3 Florida, No. 20 Missouri) and three ranked teams in 2003 (No. 11 Notre Dame, No. 23 Missouri State, No. 20 UC Santa Barbara).

PANTHERS NEARLY AUTOMATIC WHEN UP 2-0
UNI jumped out to a 2-0 lead at Southern Illinois on Sunday and finished off the advantage with a 3-0 sweep.
   UNI improved to 685-9 all-time when winning the first two sets of a match.

EARLY ADVANTAGE
UNI has won the opening set in 25 of its 31 matches this season. The Panthers are 23-2 when winning the first set.

12 CONSECUTIVE YEARS OF APR RECOGNITION, PERFECTION
For the past 12 years the NCAA has recognized teams in the top-10 percent of the Academic Progress Report and the UNI volleyball team has been on the list all 11 years.
   In fact, the UNI volleyball team has had a perfect score of 1,000 in each of the 12 years.
   UNI volleyball is one of 93 programs in the nation to have earned the recognition in each of the 12 years teams have been honored.

AVCA TEAM ACADEMIC AWARD
The UNI volleyball team compiled a 3.42 cumulative GPA during the 2016-17 season.
   It marks the sixth consecutive season that the Panthers have earned the AVCA Team Academic Award.

AMONG ELITE COMPANY
The Panthers rank No. 8 all-time in NCAA Division I winning percentage (.774). UNI trails only Penn State (.861), Hawaii (.855), Nebraska (.842), Florida (.830), Stanford (.811), UCLA (.776) and BYU (.775) in NCAA Division I winning percentage totals.

MORE STREAKS OF NOTE
UNI, Hawaii, Nebraska, Stanford, Penn State and UCLA lead the nation with 36 consecutive non-losing seasons in NCAA Division I volleyball.
   UNI has posted 32 straight NCAA Division I winning seasons – the sixth-longest active streak in the nation behind Hawaii (36), Nebraska (36), Penn State (36), Stanford (36) and UCLA (34).

17 MVC REGULAR SEASON TITLES
The Panthers have tallied 17 MVC regular season titles through the years.
   UNI won the regular season title in 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2013.

20 NCAA APPEARANCES
In its 20 trips to the NCAA tournament, UNI has posted 14 wins, advancing to at least the second round 11 times.
   UNI has advanced as far as the NCAA's Sweet 16 three times since 1999. In 2002, the Panthers went into the NCAA tournament as the No. 1 seed in the East Region.

PANTHERS PICKED SECOND IN MVC PRESEASON POLL
The Panthers earned one first-place vote in the preseason Missouri Valley Conference coaches poll.
   UNI is projected to finish second behind preseason favorite Missouri State.

2017 PRESEASON POLL
1.   Missouri State (9)   99 pts.
2.    UNI (1)    89 pts.
3.    Illinois State    76 pts.
4.    Loyola    67 pts.
5.    Southern Illinois    64 pts.
6.    Drake    48 pts.
7.    Valparaiso    33 pts.
8.    Bradley    32 pts.
9.    Indiana State    26 pts.
10. Evansville    16 pts.

WEBER EARNS PRESEASON ALL-MVC STATUS
Junior Bri Weber (Dike, Iowa) has been named to the preseason all-Missouri Valley Conference squad.

NICARAGUA TRIP
UNI spent 10 days in Nicaragua this past spring as the Panthers were able to make an trip outside the United States.
   UNI was in Nicaragua from May 9-17. The days consisted of playing volleyball, experiencing Nicaragua and doing mission work.
   An extra component of this trip that was different than in the past was the opportunity to give back. The team volunteered at Manos Unidas (cooperative for people with disabilities), Escuela Adelante (preschool) and local schools. The Panthers also hosted a youth volleyball clinic.